Beyoncé is one of the most iconic and accomplished entertainers to ever rock a mic, wreck a stage, or grace a screen. There’s almost too much epicness from the Queen’s catalog to even choose from but we’ve managed to bring you the 5 essential songs, performances, and roles of Beyoncé’s career (so far).

5. DREAMGIRLS
An all-star, blockbuster musical film Beyoncé got her big acting break in. She played Deena Jones (a character based on Diana Ross) a shy young woman who becomes a star then realizes over time she is a puppet for her controlling husband. The film was a huge success and Beyoncé was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance as she held her own in one of the most celebrated films repping The Culture.

4. DESTINYS CHILD
The 1998 self-titled debut album from Beyoncé and co. that started it all. The album went platinum and featured the hit “No, No, No”. It was clear even here that Beyoncé was the one destined (pun intended) for greatness and this album set the groundwork for everything to come.

3. COACHELLA
Beyoncé is a great performer, no one will debate you on that but her 2018 Coachella performance was something…different. Described as an “education in black expression and musical history.” It was a mix of Houston, New Orleans, Brooklyn, Jamaica and Africa and even included her rendition of “Lift Every Voice” aka the “black national anthem and a nod to HBCU’s will a full marching band and majorette dancers. Yeah, historic.

2. SINGLE LADIES
A song. A video. A phenomenon. When Beyoncé released the song and video in 2009 it took over he world. It won 3 Grammys, the black and white dance video won MTV’s Video of The Year, was/is one of the most imitated and parodied videos ever, and oh yeah, became one of the biggest selling singles of all-time.

1. LEMONADE
A true audio and visual masterpiece that broke the internet. Beyoncé did something rare for her getting very personal, bringing people inside her marriage and turning her heartache into art and something so special and unique no one else even has the guts to try and duplicate it.

#RunTheCulture The nominees for the 2019 Academy Awards were just announced and several years removed from #OscarsSoWhite creators for The Culture showed up and showed out. Black Panther, BlacKKKlansman, and…